Montreal, Canada (January 23, 2012) – O'Neill, the original surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand for 60 years, will bring fans up close and personal with leading team rider and Winter X Games 2012 star athlete, Sebastian Toutant ("Seb Toots"), later this month via "The O'Neill Experience." Located at www.oneillexperience.com, the online and social media campaign will follow the Canadian-born rider throughout his week at Winter X events, which takes place from January 26-29 in Aspen, Colorado.

A favorite to defend his gold medal in Slopestyle and silver in Big Air, The O'Neill Experience will follow Seb throughout his day, from practice and media appearances, to interaction with other athletes and competition. The entire all-access campaign will feature 200 photos and select videos per day, updated live via www.oneillexperience.com, along with O'Neill Snow's Facebook, Twitter, www.SebToots.com and other exclusive blog sites. O'Neill will further promote the campaign with a series of banner ads on partner Web sites.

The behind-the-scenes content at www.oneillexperience.com will include daily interviews with Seb, footage throughout the Games' venues, and interviews with fans. The campaign will also feature other O'Neill riders, including popular backcountry snowboarder Celia Miller, 10-year-old skiing phenom, Aspen Spora and David Wise, who will be competing at Winter X in Skier Halfpipe. Additionally, Seb will provide insight into his upcoming competitions, including tricks and strategy. Head cameras and small microphones will be used to offer viewers a more personal perspective.

“With The O'Neill Experience, we wanted to provide fans with the opportunity to see Winter X through the eyes of an elite athlete,” said O'Neill Snow's Juliet Korver. “This four-day backstage pass will highlight Seb's dedication to his sport and show what a day in his life during competition is like, while also showing that he's like any other kid who loves to hang out and snowboard with his friends. The Experience will also provide Winter X fans with a window into the world of a snowboarder in a way they haven't seen before."

During Winter X Games, fans can participate in The O'Neill Experience by visiting O'Neill's Facebook page for news, updates, and instant tagging of event photos. O'Neill will also be supporting Seb's gold-medal campaign by distributing 'Go Seb Go' foam hands to fans throughout Aspen.

"The Winter X Games are always a fun time, so it will be cool for fans around the world to share in that experience with me," said Toutant, who is the leading athlete in ESPN's promotion of this year's Games. "Hopefully I can give The O'Neill Experience a happy ending with some gold medal performances and other memorable moments!"

O'Neill, the original California surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, was founded in 1952 when a young man named Jack O'Neill took his unstoppable passion for surfing and used it to beat Mother Nature at her own game. Pioneering the world's first neoprene wetsuit, Jack had successfully found a way to extend his surf sessions in the bone-chilling breaks of Northern California. He opened up the garage doors to his first surf shop in Santa Cruz soon after.
While many things have changed since those humble beginnings, Jack's initial vision of producing functional and innovative boardriding products continues to lie at the core of everything the company does. O'Neill's core values – innovation in style and technology – have seen the brand devote itself wholeheartedly to the evolution of the action sports lifestyle. From the first ever neoprene wetsuit and surf leash, to the world's first stitchless boardshorts and range of groundbreaking wearable electronics, O'Neill's progressive spirit will always drive the company forward. For more information, please visit www.oneill.com.